TMC Turmoil: Sourav Ganguly denies asking Yusuf Pathan to resign on Mamata Banerjee’s behalf

The clarification comes amid growing political speculation surrounding the Baharampur Lok Sabha seat and reports suggesting that efforts were being made to enable Mamata Banerjee to contest from the constituency.

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Ganguly Calls Allegations ‘Incorrect and Untrue’

In a statement issued on Friday, Ganguly dismissed the claims outright and termed the allegations baseless. According to the reports, Ganguly had allegedly conveyed a message to Yusuf Pathan requesting him to step down from his constitutional post as an elected representative so that Mamata Banerjee could contest the upcoming by-election from the seat.

Rejecting the claim, Ganguly stated that the allegations were “incorrect and untrue.”

‘I Was Never Asked to Convey Any Message’

The former India captain further clarified that Mamata Banerjee had never approached him to communicate with Yusuf Pathan on her behalf.

“It is necessary to place on record that I was never requested or asked by Ms Mamata Banerjee to convey any message to Mr Yusuf Pathan,” Ganguly said in his statement. He added that since no such communication ever took place, the question of Yusuf Pathan responding in the manner described in the reports did not arise.

Ganguly Distances Himself From Politics

Expressing disappointment over the circulation of the claims, Ganguly criticised the publication of unverified allegations and said the reports appeared to have been made without proper fact-checking.

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Calling the claims irresponsible, he stated that the allegations concerning him were made in “reckless disregard of the truth.” Ganguly also made it clear that he has never been involved in political matters at any stage.

Speculation Around Baharampur Seat

The controversy emerged amid discussions regarding the Baharampur Lok Sabha constituency and speculation that a by-election route could potentially allow Mamata Banerjee to enter Parliament through the seat.

However, neither Yusuf Pathan nor the Trinamool Congress officially commented on the reports at the time of Ganguly’s clarification.